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Telars (Nation)
Population: 2,300 (100% Human) Government: Representative Democracy Religions: Any Imports: Timber Exports: Shellfish, Fish, Fish Byproducts, Jewelry Alignment: All Life and Society Like the other islands in the Island-Nation Confederacy, even though Telars is relatively close to so many of her neighbors, years of distinctive development has created a culture and society unlike that of any of the other island nations in the Island-Nation Confederacy. The years of a matriarchy controlling the country, imposing a strict isolation, and a cult-like religion, have had a major part in creating the unique culture that Telars alone has. The people of Telars have a very close relationship between themselves and the sea, for two major reasons. The first is that, because of the limited space and resources on the island itself, a lot of the resources that are used come from the sea. Telarsian cuisine, for instance, is almost wholly centered around fish and shellfish. Fish oils are commonly used as sources of fuel, rather than the more conventional oils, or coal. The bones from various fish and seafaring mammals are commonly used in various pursuits, from architecture to art. The second is because of the two-hundred-odd year reign of the matriarchs of the island nation, backed by the great Kraken Slaakelrupt. The Queens of Telars enforced a strict isolation across the island, stunting its development somewhat. Worship of Slaakelrupt was enforced as well, and those who refused were killed. Effigies and other artistic works depicting the Kraken, or other aspects of the sea were incorporated into the architecture of Eskel, and other smaller, isolated settlements. Twice a year, the Queen of Telars presided over the Drowning Man ceremony. A specific individual would be chosen from the populace of Telars as a sacrifice for Slaakelrupt. On the night of the new moon, the sacrifice and a holy procession would be brought to the Shore of Cephalopods, located on Telars’ southern shore. The sacrifice would be held down, and would have all of his/her limbs forcibly amputated. While the being was still alive, their trunk would be cast into the water, where the individual would shortly drown, having no way to survive. Sometimes, these sacrifices were willing, but most of the time, they were chosen at random by the Queen of Telars. Today, Telars only superficially resembles the Telars of old. Much of the architecture remains the same across the island, and the populace utilize the gifts from the sea just as much as they used to. But, people have numerous rights granted to them by Telars’ new government. Unlike the past, when the worship of Slaakelrupt was strictly enforced, residents can now worship any patron they wish, if any. The new government has lifted the daily curfews, and totalitarian policies. Telars is a member of the Island-Nation Confederacy, and residents are allowed to come and go as they please. Major Organizations Major Geographical Features Telars is one of the southernmost islands in the Island-Nation Confederacy. Like all of the other island-nations, fishing is the backbone of Telars’ economy. Because it is relatively small in area, the island itself offers very few natural resources, such as timber, or coal. As a result, the people living on the island have developed alternatives. For example, fish oils are commonly used as fuel sources, in lieu of coal, and large whale bones are commonly used as infrastructure support. Telars, like the other islands nearby, enjoys a steady, tropical climate. High temperatures during the summer months peak in the mid 90s, and low temperatures during the winter months dip to the low 60s, or high 50s. The warm waters around Telars is home to all kinds of fish, mollusks, cephalopods, and aquatic mammals. Important Sites Eskel Shore of Cephalopods Regional History Like most of the other islands that now belong to the Island-Nation Confederation, Telars was once a fairly isolated island. As was the case with most of the other islands in the area, the first Human cultures developed on the island around the year 500. Nothing on Telars was anything out of the ordinary a culture living on such an island. The year 922 would bring great change to Telars, however. In that year, a group of fishermen were attacked by a Kraken- the Kraken Slaakelrupt, to be specific. Before the end of the year, four more fishing boats were attacked and destroyed by the creature. After consulting numerous oracles, Jhaele Darscale was chosen to act as an intermediary between the people of Telars and the Kraken. In the darkness of the new moon during the first days of 923, a spell was cast to summon the Kraken. The spell succeeded, and shortly thereafter, Slaakelrupt arrived. Slaakelrupt was very tempted to simply kill Jhaele for her impudence to dare speak with it, but for whatever reason, it did not. Instead, it listed to the woman with interest. A deal was hammered out in which Slaakelrupt would no longer harass Telars. In return, Jhaele Darscale was to be installed as the queen of Telars, and was to give to the Kraken a steady supply of sacrifices and resources, if needed. Jhaele Darscale, and the people of Telars, agreed, and Jhaele was installed as the first Queen of Telars. The city of Eskel was designated as the capital of the island-nation, and a massive conch shell was given to the Queen of Telars as a palace. From 923 to 1,144, Telars was ruled by a succession of matriarchs, loyal to Slaakelrupt. Historians call this era Telars’ “Dark Age”. By order of the Kraken, the people of Telars became fiercely isolationist, refusing to even allow vessels from other, nearby islands to land on Telars. Those who arrived from shipwrecks were almost always imprisoned, and sacrificed during the Drowning Man ceremony. The people of Telars went along with their queens, afraid of any kind of retribution by either them, or the Kraken that was the power behind their throne. In 1,144, Zelandra Long, the Queen of Telars, was ousted from the throne and deposed of as the queen. Since other nations in the area banded together to form the Island-Nation Confederacy, Zelandra was fighting a growing call by various factions within the country to end Telars’ isolation and enter into the international community at large. Queen Zelandra sought to continue Telars’ isolationist policies and her Kraken-worship. The rebels stormed the Conch Palace in Eskel and succeeded in causing the queen to flee. She narrowly avoided death, and would have been killed in all probability had peasants still loyal to her not smuggled her from the Conch Palace to Shore of Cephalopods. Like so many victims of the Drowning Man sacrifice, the former queen swam southwards, into whatever oblivion awaited her. Following the absence of Queen Zelandra, a temporary provisional government was created in Eskel. The provisional government, known as the Provisional Government of Telars, eventually gave way two years later to the Republic of Telars, the legitimate government decided upon by the majority of Telars’ residents. The transition was not entirely without problems, however. Late in 1,144, individuals still loyal to the deposed matriarchy attempted to siege control of the Conch Palace and establish control of the island nation. These individuals failed, however.